Software Process Improvement: Practical Guidelines for Business Success

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Summary: Alec Dorling, SPICE Project Manager writes:
Review: "This book is one of the best references so far on the subject of software process imporvement. It presents the current standards and initiatives in a well structured format. The book along with that by Watts Humphrey are the two reference books which should be high priority on anyone's booklist and should provide the basis for any student studying the subject area. Actually I have found that this book is helping me to regenerate my own new ideas on the subject matter. It is THE SINGLE REFERENCE SOURCE on the subject area."

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Summary: Rewarding reading and an excellent reference
Review: Dr Sami Zahran is a long time advocate and practitioner ofsoftware process improvement with a track record of work in ICL,United Nations, DEC and IBM.

'Software Process Improvement - Practical Guidelines for Business Success' provides comprehensive guidance on implementing software process improvement and more.

In five largely independent sections, Dr Zahran covers, Process Thinking, A Framework for Software Process Improvement, Making Software Process Improvement Happen, Current Models and Standards for Software Process Improvement and Business Benefits of Software Process Improvement.

Finally, there is some data on the benefits of software process improvement and more usefully, a number of detailed case studies of software process improvement experience gained in US and European environments.

With a forward from Watts Humphrey, a preface by the SEI's Mark Paulk, well ordered layout and copious use of diagrams, charts and tables, Dr Zahran's book will provide rewarding reading and an excellent reference work for anyone who is intent on bringing about software process improvement END

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Summary: Aimed more at Managers than QA Engineers
Review: I purchased this book because of the good reviews and the 'practical' in the title. Overall this book does a good Job of presenting the 'What' of Continous Process improvement, Plan/Do/Check etc. but lacks the 'How To' which I was looking for as a SQA engineer. I would have liked more 'practical' examples of (e.g.) a compliant Configuration Management Process. The book does give a good 'Overview' of the various Process models - CMM, SPICE etc. but if your looking for a detailed 'How To' implemention guide then I would try elsewhere.

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Summary: Software Process Improvement Book by Dr.Sami Zahran
Review: It is an useful book on an important subject-worth picking up. I am sure it will help as practical guidelines.

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Summary: Worldwide Feedback on Zahran's Book on Software Process
Review: It is quite encouraging and immensely satisfying for an author to receive Readers comments. I am thankful to the many readers who took the time to write to me about how my book has helped them in their software process improvement effort. I answer each mail and provide advice and comments to every reader as far as I can. My new email address is: [e-mail], and will be pleased to continue on-line dialogue with the thousands who read my book and use it as a basis for software process improvement efforts.

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Summary: A good reference of process improvement models and standards
Review: This book describes clearly the concepts behind the most popular Software Process Improvement models and standards.

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Summary: A Comprehensive Reference Book on the Software Process
Review: This book describes the components of an effective software process environment. It describes current models, standards and intiatives. It offers pragmatic approach that will help you move your software engineering environment from a fire-fighting culture to a continuous process improvement culture. The book has an extended foreword by Watts Humphrey. In his foreword Watts Humphrey says: "In addition to talking about process improvement, Sami provides useful guidance from a practitionr's perspective."

Another foreword is provided by Mark Paulk of the Software Engineering Institute, Carnegie Mellon University. Mark states in his foreword: "Dr. Zahran's book should help the reader understand the trade-offs and issues associated with effective software process improvment.".

In his comment on the book, Colin Tully, a leading European expert on Software Process Imporvement stated: "As well as presenting current models and methods the book contains new ideas and approaches. It will interest and inform not only those who have prior knowledge of this critically important field, but also those who come new to it.. It is to be warmly welcomed and recommended" .

The book is published as part of the Software Engineering Institute's SEI Series in Software Engineering.

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Summary: Rewarding reading and an excellent reference
Review: This book is an excellent reference source for understanding the concepts, issues, and initiatives concerning information system process improvement. It is well organized and flows logicallly. It is especially an excellent source document for managers who are responsible for setting the overall direction of their company's IT programs. The book should be read by anyone who is concerned with software process improvement.

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Summary: An excellent source for undestanding the issues
Review: This book is an excellent reference source for understanding the concepts, issues, and initiatives concerning information system process improvement. It is well organized and flows logicallly. It is especially an excellent source document for managers who are responsible for setting the overall direction of their company's IT programs. The book should be read by anyone who is concerned with software process improvement.

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Summary: Excellent reference manual for Software Process Improvement
Review: This book is the best implementation guide on the market for Software Process Improvement. Whether you're a fledgling company trying to design quality software with no guidelines to go by or a well-developed organization with processes in place, this book offers up many ways you can improve your software quality.

It gives you a benchmark to compare your company with ISO 9001, CMM and others which is invaluable. If you're looking for help bringing your software processes into alignment - you want this book!